Improvement in car-couplings



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l'Pn'rmur OFFICE.

\ STEPHEN'J-USTIGK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARrCOUPLlNGS.

.'{Specication form-ing'p'art of yLetters Patent No. 164,113, dated June 8, 1875 application filed August 14, 1874.

v'To' all whomttlmay-concera:

Be itA known that I, STEPHEN UsTIcK, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have `invented certain Improvements in Gar-Couplings, of-which the `following is av specication The main object of my invention is a free and easy running of a train of cars, especially in turning curves, whereby to overcome the tendency to run oft the track, and the consequent immense friction and Wear of the rails and flanges of the truck-wheels.

The invention relates to the following paru ticulars: Beneath the truck-frames of each -the rails of the track, and thus avoid as far as possible the leverage exertedupon the rails by the side pressure of the iianges of the wheels, which takes place when they are placed, in the usual manner, far above the rails, and the cars are running on a curved track. The object of running the bar the whole length of the car, instead of employing a short bar at each end, is to obtain amuch stiffer resistance against the bumping or draft of the draw-bars. The inner end-s of these bars are pivoted or otherwise jointed to the above-described longitudinal bar, or to spring-slides connected therewith. Their outer ends are suspended and held by means of vertical rods, which are jointed at their upper ends to rods projected from the outer ends of the truck-frames, so as to admit of the oscillation of the vertical rod, and to admit of the contiguous cross-bars, that are coupled together, turning freely on their center-pins, and remaining in line with each other when the trucks, in turning curves, are brought out of line. A provision is also made by this arrangement for the draw-bars when uncoupled, if not inline with their respective trucks, to automaticall y assume such position, so that they may be automatically coupled, either on a curved or straight track, as hereinafter fully described. The above-mentioned vertical rods are divided in their middle, and coupled by means of right-and-left-hand screws, for the adjustment of the Adraw-heads to make the contiguous ones of equal height. In order to keep the coupling-links in avhorizontal position for the automatic coupling of the cars, I connect a spring with one end, which bears against the top side ofthe socket of the drawhead, with which it is previously connected.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a longitudinal vertical section of one end of the bottom frame A of a car-body, and a truck, B, in connection therewith, provided with my improved coupling. Fig. 2 is a reversed plan view ofthe same. Fig. 3, Sheet No.2, is an end elevation. Fig. 4. is a side view of the vert-icalrod I, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a like view of the coupling-link L. Fig. 6 is an edge view of the same. view, on a diminished sc ale, ot' two trucks coupled on a curved track.

Like letters of reference in all the gures indicate the same parts.

A represents one end of the bottom frame of a car-body. B is the truck, connected therewith in the usual manner. G is a longitudinal bar or beam beneath the truck-frames, and supported by any number of suitable hangers, D, 'connected at their upper ends to the frame A by means of screwbolts. The draw-bars E are connected at their inner ends with the bar G by means of spring-slides F, with which they have a joint connection, as seen in Figs. l and 2-the bars being free to oscillate either to the right or left upon the pin a. The

slide F is guided by the box G, which also contains the resisting-spring H.

The outer end of the bar E is supported by v means of the vertical rod I, the lower end of which has a joint connection with the bar, and its upper end a like connection with the outer end of the rod J, the inner end of which is permanently connected with the end b of the truck, as seen in Fig. 1. The point of suspension of the rod I is in the central vertical plane of the truck, so that when the cars run onto a curve, the two rods I I, which support the outer ends of two draw-bars coupled together, shallbe on equal angles from the ver- Fig. 7 is-a plan tical plane, as their lower ends are swung right or left by the change in the positions of the outer ends of the draw-bars from said vertical plane, caused by the oblique positions of the trucks,which they assume by ruiming onto the curve, as seen in Fig. 7, to-obtain equal height of the draw-heads. Another object is that when any of the cars are uncoupled, the draw-heads shall always be brought automatically into the central vertical plane of the trucks (if they should not be in that position) by the weight of the draw-heads bringing the rods I into their vertical position, so that any two conti guous draw-heads, when brought together for coupling, may fairly meet each other, and admit of an automatic coupling,

, whether the cars are either on a curve or straight track.

I provide for the altitudinal adjustment of the draw-heads, so as to have the sockets d of the contiguous ones of equal height, by constructing the rods I in two pieces,which have right and left hand screw-threads e e, with which the coupling-bar K connects.

If desired, the draw-heads may have a sliding movement on the draw-bars E, in the usual manner, instead of having a permanent connection, as shown in the drawings. In this case the slides F and spring H should be dispensed with, and stationary pins a connected with the longitudinal bar C, or its equivalent, for the joint connection of the inner ends of the bars.

To prevent the couplinglinks L drooping at their outer end, I provide one end with a spring, h, as seen clearly in the enlarged views, Figs. 5 and 6. This end is connected with the socket of one ofthe draw-heads to be coupled, and the spring, bearing against the upper side of the socket, presses the link upon the bottom of the same, and holds it in a horizontal position, so as to admit of its projecting end entering the socket of the other draw-head.`

It will readily appear that by the free oscillation of the draw-bars upon their pivots a, any two, when coupled together, will be in line, even ou a curve track, as seen in Fig. 7; and if they oscillate on' centers vertical with the centers of the trucks, the line of draft will be inside of the tangent of an imaginary center line of the track, and that the cars will thereby have a slight inclination toward the inner rail, thus avoiding the immense friction caused by the anges ot' the wheels being borne hard againstthe outer rails when the draw-bars have a rigid connection with the cars in the usual manner. The slight inclination thus given toward the inner rail will, however, not be more than equivalent to the centrifugal force of the cars running at a moderate speed; but, if preferred, the line of draft may be'made to cut the tangent by placing the center-pins the requisite distance outside ofthe central axis of the truck, as in the pla view, Fig. 7. 1

I claim as my invention- 1. The bar C, suspended by means of the hangers D, and extending from end to end of the car, in combination with the draw-bars lof a railroad-car, as set forth.

2. The rod I, having a coupling, K, in com? bination with the draw-bar E and rod J, for adjusting the height of the bar, and admitting of its oscillating freely, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the pivoted draw-bar E, permanent bar C, and rods I and J, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

STEPHEN USTICK. Witnesses: v

THOMAS J. BEWLEY, PETER WEAVER. 

